Although there have been a number of tying devices employed to hold shoelaces together or otherwise prevent them from becoming untied, many of these devices have suffered from a number of inadequacies which has prevented their being readily acceptable in the marketplace. These inadequacies included the awkward manner in which the devices are used in connection with the shoe, the complexity of the device itself, the rigidity, bulkiness, and unappealing appearance of the device, and its cost of manufacture. For example, where certain substantially rigid devices have been employed, often a number of separate elements must interact, or the shoelaces must actually be tied through certain elements on the device, before the device itself actually can be fixed to the shoe. The awkardness and complexity characterizing such devices impair acceptance by the general public because of the time and effort involved to place it on the shoe and integrate it with the laces. In addition, such rigid devices are typically unsightly and can not be used in an inconspicious manner.
With regard to flexible type devices, although there have been such devices used for bundling certain elements, they have not been readily adaptable for use with shoelaces. As with the rigid devices, flexible ties are generally unsightly, are not configured properly to hold the shoelace in place or are otherwise too cumbersome to enjoy wide acceptance.
The invention described herein overcomes many of the deficiencis discussed above. The invention relates to a flexible, low-profile, adjustable device for holding or retaining tied shoelaces in place. A common problem particularly with children is that their shoelaces are constantly becoming untied from contact with depris, subjection to consistent vibration, and the natural inclination of some shoelace material to become untied.
A device for this purpose includes a base portion, having a slot therethrough and a tongue portion extending from the base portion for insertion into a receiving slot. The tongue portion is further comprised of two separate portions, a serrated portion and a tail portion. The serrated portion includes a number of wedge members formed adjacent one another and having tearlines across their junctures. This configuration provides for adjustability and permits a portion of the device to be torn away from the remaining portion of the device locked about the shoelace. In addition, there is provided a tail portion without any serrations or wedge portions for facilitating the insertion of the tongue into the orifice for this purpose. The invention includes dimples configured and spaced to hold the tie in place about a shoelace knot and to prevent the shoelace knot from becoming untied. The edges of the base portion defining the slot also engage the knot thereby preventing lateral movement of the device. This configuration allows efficient locking of shoelaces to maintain them in a tied disposition while also providing a low profile device which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and simple to use. Additional advantages will be appreciated from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment which follows.